Hidden Tears
by Wishy
Summary: Legolas' not so picture perfect adolescence
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: None of these characters, etc. belong to me.  
  
Summary: Legolas' not so picture perfect adolescence  
  
Chapter One:  
  
There was no reason or logical explanation for the way that he felt. There was no tragic loss. no horrible past that should prompt him to wallow in thoughts of loathing and self pity. Somewhere in the innermost depths of his subconscious thought, Legolas knew this to be true. And yet, it was still there: the feeing of all consuming loneliness that seemed to fill the empty void that was now his soul. It had been invading his thoughts for years now, tainting his youth, quelling his inspiration. Why, then, hadn't he seen it before? Ah, but the youngest child of Thranduil knew the answer to that question. Now, looking back, he could see the subtle ways that this darkness had slunk into his consciousness. An irrational thought here, a quiet doubting voice in the back of his mind that had grown into the cruel, nameless being that now inhabited his thoughts. Yes he could see it clearly now. But then hindsight was always crystal clear, was it not?  
  
Legolas laughed aloud, a bitter, humorless laugh to match his dead, sapphire eyes. Oh, if his family could see him now. Would they even recognize the joyful spark of energy that had filled the hole in there hearts since his mother had passing into Mandos' Halls? Legolas sighed heavily and shifted of the precariously high branch he had perched on. No, they would not. But it didn't really matter, for they would never see him like this, never know the emptiness of his heart or see him for what he truly was.  
  
With new resolve, Legolas wiped away the few tears of loneliness that had leaked, unnoticed, down his fair face , thanked the tree for his moment of semi-peace, before he leapt lightly from the concealing foliage and strode purposefully toward the palace. 


	2. Chapter Two

Hidden Tears  
  
Disclaimer: None of these characters, etc. belong to me.  
  
Summary: Legolas' not so picture perfect adolescence  
  
Chapter 2:  
  
Plastering his usual stupid smile across his face, Legolas scampered into the  
  
dining hall, maintaining as much dignity as was possible in his hurried state and met the  
  
worried gaze of his father.  
  
"Where have you been Legolas?"  
  
The question, which came not from Thranduil, but from his elder sister Mealin, did not  
  
immediately register in his disjointed mind. He was lost in thought, staring  
  
absentmindedly at the remaining members of his family.  
  
His two sisters were sitting together with identical, questioning expressions on their  
  
usually untroubled faces. His brother, Thylae sat on the outside, just returned from his  
  
first mission as a warrior and basking in only a fraction of his family's pride.  
  
Legolas' gaze automatically turned to the empty section of the large table. One chair for  
  
Thraledon, the crown prince, who was fighting the darkness invading Mirkwod from the  
  
South.... And the three remaining seats whose chairs had long been cast into some  
  
fireplace sat there ominously, creating an unused gap at the darkened end of the table.  
  
Two for his eldest siblings, killed in battle. And one for her. Legolas wondered at the  
  
resentment in his heart as he thought of her...  
  
"Legolas?"  
  
Legolas quickly started out of his thoughts and answered his sister's question.  
  
"I was wandering in the woods, speaking to the trees."  
  
'When did I become so quick to lie?'  
  
Thranduil's notoriously icy eyes melted to a sticky glaze and his expression  
  
turned from worried to indulgent. Yes. His youngest has a special affinity with the trees  
  
of Mirkwood that most found difficult to comprehend.  
  
"Of course my son; I understand. But be wary of the forest. You know the danger. I  
  
trust you did not wander too far."  
  
"Of course ada," Legolas intoned thoughtlessly.  
  
Breaking eye contact with the king, Legolas sought his usual seat directly beside  
  
his father. He wondered idly what Thranduil would do if he found out that his youngest  
  
had indeed been deep in the forest, far beyond the safety of the palace.  
  
Were it any of his other siblings, the king would have been angry, furious in fact; and  
  
punishment would have been nothing short than torturous. But Legolas had never been  
  
treated in this manner by his father. On the contrary, the king would probably worry and  
  
fuss over his son, clinging to him for the remainder of the week.  
  
Legolas stared at his hardly touched food, wishing that just once he would see that  
  
spark of anger in his ada's eyes directed at him.  
  
Instead he was forced to endure the remainder of his meal, chatting cheerily about  
  
his usual perfect morning at archery practice.  
  
'Shining perfect Legolas,' he thought sarcastically.  
  
No one noticed how little his ate. Or how thin he had become. 


End file.
